The Portland daily press., 1887-07-22

Il tell you, pity her." Joe Ames was
saying. ''What with her being everlastingly
on ner feet, her sick baby, and Wills own
1auIt finding, it's wonder she's alive"
,., mPshawv answered coarse John Mills.
That's the way @ women; give 'em an inch
any good is to give them lots to do and keep
them at it, And as for that young 'un, if
she warn't alters pettin' of it it wouldn't be
so 'tarnal cross"
81 know better" was the retort. "Mother
remembers when viii and his wife were
married, and there never was a smarter,
llkelier girl anywhere. WIN was good. too.
but he got in such way to make money,
ana the more he works the more she has to.
Then they've buried thrse children, and
mother says her hard work helped to shorten
their lives, and"
''Oh, you're perfect baby yourself, that's
my notion, sneered John.
q. AND tell you," proceeded honest Joe,
longer, there'll be another grave over there,
Tor she's next to sick now, and l wish viii
could see it,"
lie began to see it, He sat on the milk
sto0l listening. lie thought of the long ago
and now, and the changes noticed at supper.
de remembered how she had received, as a
reward for her toll, short words from him.
Not that he meant so, but he was in haste al
ways, and she was surely very slow but then
it, as Joe was saying, she was slck.and the
| to ring in his ears. His lips closed spasmod-
| ically as he caught the last words of the con-
versation as they closed the barn doors for
| the night.
s'WeIl, then, lwhy don't he get some help?
He has himself and Rob and us, and She
| didn't you see her today taking the things
back and forth, while he looked out from the
seat Of the wagon? Made me mad Wait
till get married. And they passed out of
hearing with these words.
Mrs. Harris came up to the door as usual
to get the milk pals. Her husband watched
her closely as he said:
II can carry them in for you"
The lock of wonder she flashed in his face
made his heart beat rapidly. He watched
her arrange the milk, giving a lift to the
heavy pals and jars occasionally. Picking
up the empty pals, she, turning toward the
kitchen, glanced at him. How tired she
looked! he took the jars away from her
and closed the milk house door, He placed
both hands on her shoulders
"Mollie," he said, in a husky voice, tell
me, have been abusing your"
She looked surprised, and he went on hur-
riedly:
Il heard tonight that | was a brute, that
You were worked to death, and got no SYM
pathy except from strangers They think
you've changed since you married me. and /
gness--l guess (he paused and drew her
close in his arms) that it is all so, Mollie; but
believe me, dear, that in my haste to make
money forgot you conld not stand this, and
that It was not that have no longer your
happiness in view. Do you believe me?"
Then he suddenly left her Alone for it is a
hard thing for proud man to come to con-
fession. She sank on the floor and suffered
hot tears to flow. Tired, sick, heart-weary,
she felt moment since as if she would drop
with fatigue. She arose soon, and, having
washed the pals, took the baby from Rob
and sat down in the sitting room where they
all sat. The rain had cooled the air off, and
as she rocked to and fro with the child asleep
in her arms, she looked up to find her hus-
bands eyes on her. She smiled
"Mollie," said he, would twenty-five
yards of calico and two hired girls be any
help to you?'
Half the quantity will be sufficient my
DEAR" she answered.
Joe, told John, as they went up to bed an
hour later, that he really did believe Will
must have heard their talk in the barn
But the girl was forthcoming next day,
and stayed for many day. and the baby,
its teeth and speedily grew strong and fat,
and the roses and smiles came back to Mrs.
Harrls's face and chased the weary look out
of her eyes.